CD63 display died, please help

[SimontY]

Hi everyone,

After performing further modifications to my player (16 resistors and 2 decoupling caps in analogue section) my display has stopped working.

I turn it on, it works, plays CDs (and sounds amazing!), but the display is dead. I had thought of adding a switch to turn this off before...but always off is not what I had in mind!!!

Has any CD53/63/67/etc. owner had experience in fixing a faulty/dead display?

(I remember reading on Thorsten's tweaks on tnt, he had a problem with his display after some modding, maybe I should e-mail him? (don't really want to just out of the blue though) )

----------------
Zombie,
if you are reading this, the resistor changes I made were (all) the 10k and 27k resistors. I used 1% metal film, and matched L+R to ~0.1% tolerance (best I could get with my DMM). (I also changed two decoupling caps to spare Elna Silmics, as tnt did)

The sound: incredible improvement! - everything is better: imaging, detail, smoothness/sweetness, control, huge drop in harshness/coldness/crap-cd-sound/white nastiness, much less over-hyped. Same or even greater magnitude than removing output caps, changing op-amps, or reclocking using a dedicated psu. This player is now probably as good as players like the Arcam FMJCD33 or Linn Genki. (maybe I will take it into the shop and compare!)


TIA,
-Simon

[Elso Kwak]

Hi SimontY,
Check the zener diode in the Display supply.

[SimontY]

Hi,

Check the zener diode in the Display supply

Elso,

Thanks for the suggestion, but I have no diode tester, is there another way to test it? If you have a good suspicion it's this I will buy one and change it anyway - I, ahem, *need* to order more caps for the player anyway...


-Simon

[hifi]

You dont even got a multimeter?...I say get one =)


/micke

[SimontY]

You dont even got a multimeter?...I say get one =)

I have a multimeter, it just doesn't happen to have a diode tester - bought the wrong one damn it

I also have an old 2nd hand 'scope in my possession right now, but I don't really know what to do with it -I just like to look at 60hz sine waves from a test disc, and watch the valves glow


-Simon

[hifi]

meassure the voltage across the zener, that should show you if it is working propperly

/micke

[SimontY]

meassure the voltage across the zener, that should show you if it is working propperly

I guess you mean whilst it's on, what am I looking for, just any reasonable voltage? (yes, I know it sounds stoopid...)


-Simon

[jean-paul]

The voltage that is written on the zenerdiode itself should be measured over it. It has 0.6 to 0.7 V in forward direction ( to be measured when power is off with a diodetester !!!! ) and the written voltage in reverse direction. For example a 6.8 V zenerdiode is used for creating a reference voltage of 6.8 V. The zener in your cdplayer will be about 22 to 30 V for creating a voltage for the display-tube. I suggest you google for the exact explanation of how zeners work and what purpose they are for.

To be honest I think when you lack the basic skills you better leave the repair and modifications to a more experienced person to avoid further damage. This is not meant as a negative remark but to save you from further costs. A small error can cause costly repairs or even a dead cdplayer

Basic skills and at least a decent multimeter are required for any job on electronic gear.

[hifi]

yes, Jean-Paul is right sorry for being so unprecise.


/micke

[SimontY]

Thanks guys,

leave the repair and modifications to a more experienced person to avoid further damage

Yes, but there is no-one! This is how I learn. I have performed many mods to the player, and as a result it sounds excellent. The player was worth little to me unmodified.

I have had to pay for repair once already, but £50 is nothing when the player sounds like £1000+. Make any sense? It does to me.

I will take the advice and learn some basics, I think an electronics course is on the cards...

Btw, I do know roughly what a zener diode is - voltage flows more easily in one direction than the other - I just don't know much more than the VERY basics - but I would know nothing if it wasn't for the desire to achieve real music from my system...and DIY audio


-Simon